Holy racket earns preacher hundreds in fines

"Why don’t you bring more tickets on us – why don’t you shoot us." Street minister Arturo Pawlowski. being fined by cops

TODD SAELHOF Sun Media

Despite repeated preach¬ing from police, a city street minister was tagged yesterday with four tickets in a down¬townpark. The head of Calgary Street Church Ministry, Arturo Pawlowski, expected to be arrested during his Sunday service for city homeless and was issued violations by police and city bylaw officers. "Why don’t you bring more tickets on us – why don’t you shoot us:’ Pawlowski told a police officer in front of reporters and his congregation. "We are going from one court to another, and that will be taxpayers’ money wasted:’

For three years, the church ministry, which operates from a truck, has been feeding and preaching to street people in the park across from the Calgary Drop-In Centre. After cops received com- plaints from nearby residents the use of stereo equipment to preach is too noisy, the courts told Pawlowski to stop using an amplifier, microphone and speakers.

When Pawlowski refused, he was ticketed for using amplification in a park without a permit. Yesterday, when the min¬ister put together his make¬shift pulpit on the sidewalk, police were there to fine him four more times, including for parking illegally and setting up equipment on a street. City bylaw boss Bill Bruce said the tickets added up to more than $650 in fines.

"He’s been given multi¬ple warnings, and he’s been telling people blatantly he’s not going to obey the court’s instructions, which is not the right thing to do:’ Bruce said.

Bruce said the city has been trying to work with Pawlowski to preach to the homeless legally for two years.